Once outside the store, Vanilla really started to get a hold of the whole pack puzzle. He only had to look where he was placing his front paws only once every few steps by the time they made it to the end of the block.
Just after he'd conquered the complicated task of turning the corner, Vanilla suddenly found himself being pushed behind a stack of baskets with nothing but a "Shoot, quick, hide!" coming from Chocola.
"What's wro-?" Vanilla started only to have a paw bop him on the nose, cutting his question short.
"Shuuush! Please, please, please tell me he didn't see me…"
Before Vanilla could whisper who, a singsong voice emanated from above. "And who do we have here?"
"Go away, Clementine!"
"Oh my, Chocola? I can't say I understand why you constantly refuse to give me the simple pleasure of your presence?" The vulpix stated with a flashy grin.
"Because you're gross." Chocola said as she got up and headed beck towards the street. "Now if you'll leave us be, Vanilla and I are headed home."
The vulpix cut off her escape. "You and? Oh, an eevee?" Clementine observed. "Too bad, though. I don't exactly talk to males, you understand. Although that might explain Chocola's delectable little-"
"Hey!" The vixen in question cut him off with a mean look.
"Hmm? Well then it's none of my business, I suppose. But I have to say, I fully understand why those pokemon were looking for eevee. I could personally look at you all day, Chocola."
"Just go away, already!"
"Fine, fine. Just don't be a stranger, Chocola!" Clementine winked as he left for the path. Before gallivanting off, the vulpix could be heard trying to woo another pokemon that had caught his eye.
As Chocola simmered at the conversation, Vanilla brought her back to reality. "He seems nice."
"What part about that seemed nice? He practically ignored you."
"Hmm, maybe. I'm sort of used to it. At the very least, I believe that Clementine was sincere."
"Yeah, that's probably because you're not a girl. I'm sure he's sincerely hit on every one of us in Jocundale Valley by now." Chocola stated while rolling her eyes. "Well, whatever. Let's get back home…"
Vanilla didn't know about any of that, but he did recognize the warning that the vulpix had given. Pokemon were out there looking for eevee. That not only meant that he probably wasn't the only one to escape, but that someone was looking for him as well. Getting back to Chocola's house unseen would probably be for the best.
The trip back to Chocola's house was, thankfully, uneventful.
Chocola had removed her bag and had darted deeper into the house before the satchel hit the ground. Meanwhile, Vanilla found himself fighting with the strap's buckle once more.
"Reiga! We're back!" Chocola called out.
"Oh? With all of it?"
"Well, no. Pecan's supposed to deliver the rest later." Chocola said with her ears drooped at the memory of what the extra items entailed. "Does Vanilla really have to fix up the floette's garden tomorrow?"
"Nope." Reiga responded simply.
"What! Really?"
"Because you're going to help him."
"Aww. Why?" Chocola pleaded.
"Because you didn't tell me about it after the fact."
"But-"
"Nope, no 'buts'. Say, where's Vanilla?"
"Oh! He's probably still by the door trying to get his pack off." Chocola explained before darting back to the entrance.
Reiga sensed something was wrong before she heard Chocola's shout.
"Reiga come quick!"
The lucario hurried to the door. Chocola was nudging Vanilla in an attempt to wake the prone eevee. He'd never managed to get the pack off before passing out. In one quick motion, Reiga removed the stubborn clasp and picked the eevee up to check on him.
Vanilla was breathing normally, and Reiga noticed little flutters under his eyelids. Dreams. Vanilla was just asleep. "Good, he's just asleep is all, Chocola. It seems you've tuckered the poor guy out."
Chocola perked up at the announcement that Vanilla was okay, but other thoughts quickly resumed their course through her head. "But-, but He never told me where he lived! We have to take him home to his parents for bed don't we!?"
"Calm down, Chocola." Reiga said as she placed Vanilla down on the living room cushions as carefully as possible. "Tell you what, clean up for dinner and unpack the groceries, and I'll try to flag down a wingull. If there's anyone who knows where a new eevee family has moved, it'll be that old Pelipper, Mister Perso."
"O-okay…" Chocola said as she slowly wandered off, still worried about Vanilla.
Once the zorua had left, Reiga resumed her examination of the eevee. His breathing still steady, she picked up one of his paws and got a closer look. The pads were soft, little nicks and cuts could be seen, but nothing deep or serious, but most of all, they were bruising. The bruises continued even into his fur. If Reiga's assumptions about Vanilla's origins had been guesswork until now, the eevee's condition was more than enough to solidify them.
Vanilla had spent most of his life well cared for. If she didn't know any better, Reiga'd probably assume that this eevee had never walked more than a dozen paces any day of his life. The poor thing was really going to be sore in the morning.
It also meant that flagging down the mail-birds was going to be a fruitless effort.
That being the case, the lucario found herself in awe that the little, pampered fox had, so far, been absolutely stoic, never mentioning or complaining of his injuries even once during the course of the day.
"Maybe there is hope for you yet, Little One" Reiga whispered into Vanilla's ear before covering him with a blanket. "Only time will tell…"